LMS Stanier Black Five

LMS Stanier Class 5 4-6-0

No. 44949 at Manchester Victoria in 1968.

Type and origin Power type Steam Designer William Stanier Builder LMS Crewe Works (241) LMS Derby Works (54) LMS Horwich Works (120) Vulcan Foundry (100) Armstrong Whitworth (327) Serial number AW: 1166–1265, 1280–1506 VF: 4565–4614, 4618–4667 Build date 1934–1951 Total produced 842

Specifications Configuration 4-6-0 UIC class 2′C h2 Gauge 4 ft 8 1⁄2 in (1,435 mm) Leading dia. 3 ft 3 1⁄2 in (1.003 m) Driver dia. 6 ft 0 in (1.829 m) Length 63 ft 7 3⁄4 in (19.40 m) or 63 ft 11 3⁄4 in (19.50 m) Loco weight 72.2 long tons (73.4 t; 80.9 short tons) to 75 long tons (76 t; 84 short tons) Fuel type Coal Fuel capacity 9 long tons (9.1 t; 10 short tons) Water cap 4,000 imp gal (18,000 l; 4,800 US gal) Firebox:  • Firegrate area 27 3⁄4 or 28 1⁄2 sq ft (2.58 or 2.65 m2) or 28.5 sq ft (2.65 m2) Boiler LMS type 3B Boiler pressure 225 lbf/in2 (1.55 MPa) superheated Heating surface:  • Tubes and flues 1,426 to 1,479 sq ft (132.5 to 137.4 m2)  • Firebox 156 or 171 sq ft (14.5 or 15.9 m2) Superheater: ​  • Heating area 228 to 365 sq ft (21.2 to 33.9 m2) Cylinders Two, outside Cylinder size 18 1⁄2 in × 28 in (470 mm × 711 mm) Valve gear Most Walschaerts; some Caprotti; one outside Stephenson

Performance figures Tractive effort 25,455 lbf (113.23 kN)

Career Operators LMS, BR Power class LMS: 5P5F BR: 5MT Axle load class BR: Route Availability 7 Withdrawn 1961–1968 Disposition 18 preserved, remainder scrapped

The London Midland and Scottish Railway Class 5 4-6-0, almost universally known as the Black Five, is a class of steam locomotive. It was introduced by William Stanier in 1934 and 842 were built between then and 1951. Members of the class survived to the last day of steam on British Railways in 1968, and eighteen are preserved. This class of locomotive was often a favourite amongst drivers and railway fans.

The Black Fives were a mixed traffic locomotive, a "do-anything go-anywhere" type, designed by Stanier, who had previously been with the GWR. In his early LMS days, he designed his Stanier Mogul 2-6-0 in which he experimented with the GWR school of thought on locomotive design. A number of details in this design he would never use again realising the superiority of details not used on the GWR. Stanier realised that there was a need for larger locomotives. These were to be the LMS version of the GWR Halls but not a copy, as the Hall was too wide to run most places in Britain. They shared similar cylinder arrangement (two outside), internal boiler design and size and 6 foot driving wheel diameters.

In their early days the locomotives were known as the "Black Staniers" from their black livery, in contrast to Stanier's other class of 4-6-0, the LMS Stanier Jubilee Class, which were painted crimson (and known until April 1935 as the "Red Staniers"). Later on, the nickname of the former became "Black Five", the number referring to the power classification. This was originally 5P5F, but from 1940 was shown on cabsides as the simple figure 5.

There were a number of detail variations in the locomotives and they did not all remain in the same condition as built. Some locomotives built under British Railways administration were used as test beds for various design modifications with a view to incorporating the successful modifications in the Standard Classes of locomotives built from 1951 onwards. These modifications included outside Caprotti valve gear, roller bearings (both Timken and Skefco types) on the coupled and tender axles in varying combinations, and an experimental steel firebox. Other locomotives had modified draughting to "self clean" the smokebox (thereby reducing turn-around and disposal times and eliminating or mitigating one of the most unpopular jobs).